Moonlit Beach
by fyd818
Summary: Sometimes you don’t need to find the right words to say. Just one will do. RononTeyla First in the SAWS, the Spanky a Week Summer fic venture.


Disclaimer: I do not own _Stargate: Atlantis_, nor will I _try_ to lay claim to it. That would put me in a lot of trouble with the fans, not to mention the authorities. (Though, if I did own _Atlantis_, Ronon and Teyla would be happily married with two pretty babies and a dog.) I am making no monetary gain from this venture, so please don't sue me!

Summary: Sometimes you don't need to find the right words to say. Just one will do. RononTeyla First in the SAWS, the Spanky a Week Summer fic venture.

Rating: K+

Pairing: Ronon/Teyla

Warnings: Fluff. And kissing.

Spoilers: None

Title: _Moonlit Beach_

Author: fyd818

Author's note: This is the first fic in the SAWS – Spanky a Week Summer. For this summer (June-August) there will be one Ronon/Teyla story a week posted by a number of different authors. Our goal is to get some great fic out there – and most of all, have some fun! This is a short, fluffy little piece to kick things off – because, if there isn't nearly enough R/T fic, there certainly isn't enough R/T fluff out there! LOL If you're interested in joining, or just checking us out, the link to our forum is on my profile page. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this fic and the others coming your way this summer!

**

* * *

**

Moonlit Beach

_fyd818_

* * *

The more her people settled into life on Lantia's mainland, the more Teyla Emmagan allowed herself to relax into her life on Atlantis. Her single greatest fear was being alienated – not only in a place where she knew no one – but among her _own people._ The Athosians had gradually accepted her decision: they happily welcomed her visits, then seemed only a little disappointed when it was time for her to leave.

But there was a change in the wind, Teyla could smell it. Her team jumped and skittered around her, sending her sideways glances when they thought she wasn't looking. Even Ronon, of all people, seemed skittish. It wasn't like him.

And now, to make everything _worse_, even her people were jumpy – as if they were afraid they'd say the wrong thing around her. She wanted to stand up, plant her hands on her hips, and scream at them all to get with the program. There was _nothing_ wrong! They were all walking on eggshells around her for nothing.

Just when Teyla was _sure_ she was going to snap, Ronon reached over and took her hand. Immediately, all the stress inside her melted away through the ends of her toes into the sand beneath her bare feet. It was amazing how one touch from the man she loved could calm her down so quickly. Teyla smiled: all was right with the world again.

A few Athosians began to set up their musical instruments just out range of the firelight. Sheppard grudgingly joined them with his guitar, complaining that he didn't know why they kept talking him into this. Jinto, Sheppard's hero-worshipping shadow, watched with rapt eyes. Teyla knew what would come soon – before long the entire beach would be an endless dance floor. Athosian celebrations included lots of food, lots of drink, and _lots_ of dancing.

Ronon knew this, too. He scrambled to his feet, easily tugging her up with him. "Come on," he said. She heard the underlying excitement and tension in his voice.

"I thought you did not dance?" she questioned him.

"I don't." Ronon shifted his hand to lace his fingers through hers. They slipped away down the beach, feeling safe once they'd left the confines of the firelight. No one noticed.

Teyla shivered a little. She'd been sitting by the warmth of the fire so long, she hadn't realized how chilly it'd gotten down by the water.

"Cold?" Ronon reached for the long-sleeved shirt tied around his waist. "Here – it's big, but it should keep you warm."

Pulling the tan shirt over her head, Teyla drew in the lingering scent that was uniquely Ronon. It comforted her as she snuggled into its warmth.

Ronon chuckled. "I wish I had Sheppard's camera." He helped her roll up the sleeves, then draped his long arm over her shoulders to pull her to his side. Teyla leaned against him, arm around his lean waist. He felt warm, even though he was wearing cargos and a sleeveless top. "You are not cold?" she asked him.

"No." He acted like he wanted to say something else, but bit his lip and smiled. "I've got you." He hugged her a little closer.

The wind felt slightly colder as Teyla blushed. The sand, still warm from the sunlight, felt good beneath her bare feet. Gentle waves rolled across the shore, bathing their lower legs and soaking the bottom of her skirt. She hardly felt any of it, though. It felt like lately she and Ronon hadn't found _any_ time to be alone together. There was always something going on, always something to demand their attention.

But all that seemed so distant now. Even the chatter of the crowd around the bonfire seemed to be coming from another world. Here, it was just Ronon, Teyla, and the endless beach. Time slowed, lazily stretching out into a night she didn't want to end.

"This is nice," she sighed. "It has been too long since we have had time to be together this way."

Ronon squeezed her shoulder. "It has," he agreed. "Time – always seems to be against us."

Teyla swallowed hard. She wasn't sure she liked where this conversation seemed to be headed. "It – does." She subconsciously tightened her arm around Ronon's waist. His tightened around her shoulders in response, and that helped soothe her a little. "I love you."

Ronon pulled her to a stop. "I love you, too." He turned her into him, lowering his face to hers to kiss her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck to hold him closer, making the moment linger a little longer than it might have before. When at last she broke the kiss, Ronon bowed his head into her neck. "Hmm," he sighed. "You smell good. Everything about you is—" he paused.

Teyla laughed softly. "Thank you. I could say the same about you."

"No, I mean it." He lifted his head, eyes meeting hers with an intensity that shook her. "You – _really do_ mean everything to me."

Leaning forward, she buried her face in his chest. "Ronon—"

He wrapped his arms around her, face snuggling into her hair. "I know what you're going to say. Please don't."

It scared her, hearing those words from him. They awakened something deep within her, a deep realization that – despite whatever she might think – he meant _everything_ to her, too. She and Ronon shared a kind of love she'd die for – the kind of love for which she was willing to sacrifice _everything_.

Teyla didn't know what to say. So she tightened her arms, clinging to him like a lifeline.

Ronon pulled away after a minute. His hand slid down her arm to twine his fingers with hers. His green eyes, bright and excited in the silver light of the moon, glistened.

The entire world ground to a halt around her. Suddenly, she couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. She didn't _want _to. With perfect clarity, she remembered everything – the way her teammates, her people, were so jumpy around her. Why Ronon was so nervous.

_Oh, Ancestors._ She knew.

Ronon went to his knees before her, still holding her gaze with his. "Teyla – I-I've been wanting to ask you this for a while, but the time never seemed right. But – I'm asking you now. I know I don't deserve you – but I love you so much – and – what I _mean_ to say is – will you marry me?" He looked up at her with so many desperate emotions in his eyes – fear, love, hope, frustration – that it made her heart lurch.

Teyla felt hysteria rise well up into her throat. She swallowed it back, feeling her entire body begin to shake. She'd been praying he'd ask her, hoping he loved her as much as she loved him. Hoping he'd want to spend the rest of his life with her, as much as she wanted to spend hers with him.

And he thought _he_ didn't deserve _her_. . .?!

Somewhere during that stumbling but beautiful proposal, she'd wanted to scream yes, as loudly as she could. She didn't want to let him finish. She wanted the world to know, _now_, that she loved him, that she wanted with all her heart, soul, being to marry him. But now – now that he'd finished, found the right words to say to her – the word stuck in her throat, behind the tidal wave of emotion that threatened to overwhelm her.

But, she realized – sometimes you don't need to find the right words to say. Just one will do.

Teyla's knees buckled, dumping her on the sand before him. She threw herself at Ronon, crushing herself to him as tightly as she could. Her shaking hands clasped his face and pulled it to hers so she could crash her lips against his, kissing him with all the fervor and passion that had built up inside her. When she pulled away, Ronon's eyes were wide and just as confused as before. Drawing a deep breath, she finally found the right word to say:

"Yes!"

_**-The End-**_


End file.
